The invention relates generally to electrostatic transmission and reception, and more particularly, to underwater electrostatic communication systems.
In the past, five basic systems have been investigated for underwater communication: acoustic, magnetic, laser, electromagnetic and electrostatic or capacitive systems. All of these systems have serious drawbacks, the most significant being a lack of range which precludes their use in distant submarine-to-submarine or submarine-to-shore communication. In particular, it has been found that electromagnetic fields of very high power levels operating at the lower end of the frequency spectrum are a suitable means of submarine communication. However, various considerations restrict their use to relatively short ranges.